Okay, just read that article. So the author has no problem taking (for free) a design that someone else spent days and hours drawing, tweaking, adjusting, searching for materials, making mockups, probably changing some material because it wouldn't fall properly when actually made, sourcing wholesale materials, contracting a fabricator, paying for models and a photo shoot, and paying for advertisement. Yet a trip to Bangkok for a getaway and a sweatshop knockoff is completely A-Okay. Sooooo, if you want it, pay for it. If it's too much or you don't want to pay that much, don't steal.

Fashion designs are not, in general, copyrightable. There may be some jurisdictions where they are, but it's not the norm, AFAIK. Thus, knock-offs are not "stealing"; they're not even fraud unless there's an attempt to pass them off as the real thing.

Okay, just read that article. So the author has no problem taking (for free) a design that someone else spent days and hours drawing, tweaking, adjusting, searching for materials, making mockups, probably changing some material because it wouldn't fall properly when actually made, sourcing wholesale materials, contracting a fabricator, paying for models and a photo shoot, and paying for advertisement. Yet a trip to Bangkok for a getaway and a sweatshop knockoff is completely A-Okay. Sooooo, if you want it, pay for it. If it's too much or you don't want to pay that much, don't steal.

Fashion designs are not, in general, copyrightable. There may be some jurisdictions where they are, but it's not the norm, AFAIK. Thus, knock-offs are not "stealing"; they're not even fraud unless there's an attempt to pass them off as the real thing.

Powers &8^]

It just rubbed me the wrong way for her to say that the people who make the dresses are "conspiring to rob her" by making a profit on their hard work yet she has no problem robbing them of the fruits of their labor. Too much of a me, me, me, screw you vibe going on.

**also posted as someone who has had SS demand (yes, demand) recipes and or/patterns for items that I have created myself while the product was for sale right there in front of them. So I'm supposed to give away my hard work or make no profit, or even more insulting make below minimum wage for my items because you don't want to pay for my hard work? No.

I sewed my own wedding dress because I figured I'd never find a dress in my size (US 24) on the rack, appropriate for a 39-yo bride, at a price I could afford. I made it out of white satin, and the sleeves were lace. The yoke was lace underlined with satin. The whole thing cost me $60 for fabric, and I already had the pattern. I made my own veil and all the bouquets, and I told Mr. Sirius that if I ever have it to do again I'm eloping, because that was so much work. He wore a black suit, a black silk shirt, and a white bow tie.

Is "on the cheap" *and* "non-bridal" acceptable here? Hubby and I got married outside, on 12-12-2012 at the Robert Frost farm. Since temps were in the low 30's, we bundled up - my Mom had bought me the coat I wore, and I loved it. No dress for me, just a blouse and slacks. I felt every inch a "bride" despite my unorthodox attire!

I got married in the 70's when dresses had sleeves. Every single person who has ever seen my wedding picture has oohed and aahed over it. It came with a veil which was edged with lace that matched my dress. The veil was longer than the train of my dress.

It was the first dress I tried on and it was perfect! Including the fit. I didn't know that you couldn't just buy the dress off the rack. So I tried to buy it and got told that you can't just buy it. It must be ordered. I explained that I was in the Army and on leave. I had to buy it so I could take it back to my duty station. The clerk kept telling me that it couldn't be done. So I asked if I could speak to the manager. I explained my situation and she okayed the sale. Cue tears of sheer joy!!

The fit was perfect except that I'm short and the dress needed to be hemmed. Even that was no big deal as only the front panel had to be hemmed.

Just wanted to restart this thread, I hope it is okay, it seems timeless.

I'm getting married this upcoming summer, and I really want to have a budget wedding, it is what will make me happy. A big expensive wedding is not my thing at all. I knew that I wanted a dress with long sleeves but not a big puffy skirt, I'm tall and curvy and I don't like big cinderella dresses on myself. I went to a bridal store and tried on pretty much all of their long sleeve dresses but all of them had huge skirts. I told the sales-girl that I wanted long sleeves with a sleek skirt and she said they didn't exist, and all those dresses were much more than I wanted to spend on a one-time dress (this is a personal thing, no judgement to people who get expensive dresses at all, every bride is different). I left the bridal store empty handed.

Well, I heard about a high-end second hand store that had a bridal section. I went with my mom and I found my dress with sleeves and a high collar, in a soft airy fabric with a sleek skirt for less than $200 and it was actually a never-worn dress. Literally my dream dress situation!

Well, I heard about a high-end second hand store that had a bridal section. I went with my mom and I found my dress with sleeves and a high collar, in a soft airy fabric with a sleek skirt for less than $200 and it was actually a never-worn dress. Literally my dream dress situation!

A friend of mine did the costuming for a high school's musical every year. She would hit all the second hand stores, Goodwills, and so on. She said that there are a surprising number of new clothes on the racks, often with the tags still on. I've donated items that I had bought with the idea of altering them, or wearing them when I lost weight. Congrats on your find.